The effect of hospital admission on the opinions and knowledge of elderly patients regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
OBJECTIVE
to determine (i) if the opinions of elderly people, regarding their wish for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), change after staying in hospital, (ii) how much elderly people wish to be involved in making decisions about CPR and (iii) the degree of knowledge they use to make their decisions.


METHODS
consecutive sample survey.


METHODS
assessment, treatment and rehabilitation unit.


METHODS
95 elderly inpatients (63% of all admissions) without a terminal illness who could give informed consent, interviewed after hospital admission. Sixty-seven were interviewed again at hospital discharge and three were interviewed 16-35 days after admission.


METHODS
patient education and semi-structured questionnaire.


METHODS
patients' knowledge and opinions on basic knowledge of CPR, preference for CPR, who should decide and how this should be documented.


RESULTS
knowledge improved after intervention, although patients persistently overestimated the success rate of CPR. Eighty percent on admission and 69% following a hospital stay wished to have CPR if necessary. Men were more likely to want CPR. On admission, 74% stated the patient should make the decision regarding CPR. This rose to 84% after a hospital stay. Only 57% wished to have their preference recorded in the hospital record and only 43% wanted their general practitioner notified of their wishes. Ninety-four percent felt comfortable with the interview.


CONCLUSIONS
elderly people wish to be consulted about CPR but many do not wish their preference to be committed to paper. Most older patients want CPR but these wishes may change with time. It is important that any recorded directive from a patient is updated frequently.
Watson
D R
DR
Department of Health Care of the Elderly, Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Wilkinson
T J
TJ
Sainsbury
R
R
Kidd
J E
JE
D016223:Advance Directives; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001290:Attitude; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors